Military career

At the age of seventeen, Hale dropped out of high school, left home, and thirty days later enlisted in the Marines.[4] Hale was stationed in Okinawa, Japan at Camp Henoko as part of the Material Readiness Battalion of the 3rd Force Service Support Group, which served as the supplier of ammunition to the majority of the Pacific. He served three years as an ammunition specialist but was eventually honorably discharged in 1989. Hale said his reason for joining the military was because he "wanted to see if he was a man".[5]

Career

Early career with 213

In 1990, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg,[6] and Warren G, formed a rap trio called 213. They recorded their first demo in the back of the famed V.I.P. record store in Long Beach. The demo was later heard by Dr. Dre at a bachelor party.[7]

Solo career

Nate Dogg made his debut on The Chronic. Singing in what later became his trademark style, he was well received by fans and critics alike, and would go on to sign with Death Row Records in 1993. Nate Dogg was additionally featured on Snoop Dogg's 1993 album 'Doggystyle' such as the track 'Ain't no Fun (If the homies can't have none)'. Nate Dogg was also featured on Mista Grimm's "Indosmoke" with Warren G. Then in 1994 he produced his first hit single "Regulate" with Warren G. Nate Dogg was also featured in many 2Pac releases, including his collaboration record Thug Life: Volume 1. Then in 1998 after a tumultuous time at Death Row Records he released another album. The double album was titled G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2 and was followed up in late 2001 with Music & Me on Elektra Records. Music & Me peaked at number three on the Billboard hip-hop charts in 2001.[8] After a number of delays and an original release date of April 2004, his self-titled album was released under the Affiliated Entertainment Group on June 3, 2008.[]

Television appearances

In 2002, Nate Dogg appeared on a celebrity episode of the Weakest Link, making it to the last three players before being eliminated by Xzibit and Young MC.[9]

Legal troubles

In the early 1990s, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with two separate robberies. Nate Dogg was charged with the Check Changers robbery in 1991 and with the robbery of a San PedroTaco Bell in 1994.[11][12] He faced a maximum of nearly eleven years in prison,[13] but was subsequently acquitted of both charges.[12][13]

On June 17, 2000, Nate Dogg was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting his former girlfriend and setting fire to her mother's car in Lakewood. He was then arrested by a SWAT team at his home in Pomona. He was accused of kidnapping, domestic violence, making terrorist threats and arson.[15] He spent a night in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles before he was released on a $1 million bail.[16] These charges were later dismissed, but he faced jail time for a new charge, illegal possession of a firearm by felon. An unmarked firearm was found in his home during June 17 arrest.[14] He pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge, and was sentenced to probation of three years and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.[17]

On April 12, 2002, Nate Dogg was arrested when he was stopped by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers outside of Kingman, Arizona while traveling on a tour bus. He was charged with firearms-related and drug-related offenses after two pistols and four ounces of cannabis were found. Nate Dogg was booked on Mohave County Jail and subsequently released on a $3,500 bond.[18] Weapon charges against him were dropped as an exchange to guilty plea to drug possession charge. Nate Dogg was subsequently sentenced to probation and community service. He was also ordered to attend drug counseling sessions in May 2002.[19]

In 2006, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with misdemeanor aggravated trespassing, telephone harassment, battery assault, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and violation of a restraining order. In March 2008, Nate Dogg pleaded guilty to trespassing and battery and was ordered to complete a domestic violence treatment program, probation of three years, and was stripped of gun ownership rights for the next ten years.[20]

In July 2008, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with two felony criminal threats after allegedly sending threatening emails to his estranged wife,[21] and one count of stalking after allegedly chasing her by car on Interstate 405 in previous month.[22] He initially pleaded not guilty to these charges,[22] which were eventually dropped in April 2009, because the alleged victim did not contact prosecutors in the case.[21]

Health problems and death

On December 19, 2007, Nate Dogg suffered a stroke, according to a coordinator from his recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise.[23] He was released from the hospital on December 26 and was admitted to a medical rehabilitation facility to assist him in his recovery. On January 18, 2008, it was officially reported that the stroke had rendered the left side of his body paralyzed. Doctors believed there would be a full recovery, and his voice was not affected. In September 2008, he suffered a second stroke.[24] Nate Dogg died on March 15, 2011 in Long Beach, California at the age of 41.[2] On March 17, his attorney Mark Geragos confirmed that the cause of the death was from complications of multiple strokes.[2] He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Long Beach.[25]

In 2015, Nate's son Nathaniel Dwayne Hale Jr released his own album Son of a G under the name Lil Nate Dogg.[26] Nate's other son, Naijiel Hale, attended the University of Arizona to play football.[27]